Ancelotti admits final win harder than expected
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti felt winning the European Cup for a record-extending 15th time had been much more difficult than expected for the Spanish champion.
Los Blancos needed two late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior to beat Germany's Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley.
"I never get used to it, because it was difficult, very difficult, more than expected," Ancelotti said.
"In the first half we were a bit lazy, we had losses and [Dortmund] were able to play how they wanted, but in the second half we were better and more balanced, with fewer losses.
"This is a dream that continues. I don't know what is going to happen tonight, but we are not going to sleep."
Ancelotti added: "It seems a dream but it is reality. Really happy for sure. A final is always like this [with good and bad parts of the game].
"We were able to win, it was a fantastic season and we are really happy to be able to win the cup again."
Asked how Madrid is able to keep winning the UEFA Champions League, he replied: "It is the history and tradition of the club and of course the quality of the players.
"The club is a family, we work all together without problems and the atmosphere is really good in the dressing room.
"I need to thank the club and the players, no big egos, really humble, it was not difficult to manage the squad this season."
Carvajal also acknowledged Madrid had been fortunate to escape from a first half where Dortmund squandered a host of good goalscoring opportunities.
"After the first half we had, we didn't even deserve to go the changing room with a level score, but this is football and we are very, very happy," defender Carvajal, who scored the first goal by heading in Toni Kroos’s corner, said.
For Dortmund, it was another UEFA Champions League final loss at Wembley, which also hosted its 2013 defeat by Bundesliga rival Bayern Munich.
"At the moment we are bitterly disappointed," Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel said. "Against Real you don’t get too many chances and they always become dangerous.
"We had our chances and should have done a bit more.
"We are still disappointed, but 100 per cent it was a huge success to come here and play this game, so we are very proud."